John Bowers, project architect with Gehry Partners, LLP, explains the newest refinements using a model of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial during a meeting with the memorial commission at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 15, 2012 in Washington, D.C. less

John Bowers, project architect with Gehry Partners, LLP, explains the newest refinements using a model of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial during a meeting with the memorial commission at the Dirksen Senate ... more

John Bowers, project architect with Gehry Partners, LLP, explains the newest refinements using a model of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial during a meeting with the memorial commission at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 15, 2012 in Washington, D.C. less

John Bowers, project architect with Gehry Partners, LLP, explains the newest refinements using a model of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial during a meeting with the memorial commission at the Dirksen Senate ... more

A portion of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial model is on display during a meeting with the memorial commission at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 15, 2012 in Washington, D.C.

A portion of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial model is on display during a meeting with the memorial commission at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 15, 2012 in Washington, D.C.

Photo: The Washington Post, The Washington Post/Getty Images

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A portion of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial model is on display during a meeting with the memorial commission at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 15, 2012 in Washington, D.C.

A portion of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial model is on display during a meeting with the memorial commission at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 15, 2012 in Washington, D.C.

Photo: The Washington Post, The Washington Post/Getty Images

A portion of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial model is on display... Photo-4345405.58664 - StamfordAdvocate

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A portion of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial model is on display during a meeting with the memorial commission at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 15, 2012 in Washington, D.C.

A portion of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial model is on display during a meeting with the memorial commission at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 15, 2012 in Washington, D.C.

Photo: The Washington Post, The Washington Post/Getty Images

A portion of the Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial model is on display... Photo-4345406.58664 - StamfordAdvocate

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Here's a view of a portion of the site where the Eisenhower memorial would go. It's in front of the U.S. Department of Education.

Here's a view of a portion of the site where the Eisenhower memorial would go. It's in front of the U.S. Department of Education.

Photo: The Washington Post, The Washington Post/Getty Images

Here's a view of a portion of the site where the Eisenhower... Photo-4345407.58664 - StamfordAdvocate

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Eisenhower granddaughters Susan (left) and Anne Eisenhower talk with one another during a subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Oversight Hearing on the proposed memorial at the Longworth House Office Building on March 20, 2012, in Washington, D.C. The Eisenhower family does not like Frank Gehry's plan. less

Eisenhower granddaughters Susan (left) and Anne Eisenhower talk with one another during a subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Oversight Hearing on the proposed memorial at the Longworth ... more

The Taft Memorial is not a memorial to President William Howard Taft, who is notable for finishing third, behind Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt, in his re-election bid in 1912, and then going on serve as chief justice of the Supreme Court. Rather, the memorial honors his son, Sen. Robert A. Taft. And yes, that's then President Dwight D. Eisenhower speaking at the memorial's dedication in 1959. less

The Taft Memorial is not a memorial to President William Howard Taft, who is notable for finishing third, behind Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt, in his re-election bid in 1912, and then going on serve as ... more

Photo: Ed Clark, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

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We'll mention one memorial that's not to a person -- the World War II Memorial -- because it ties into Eisenhower's life (he was supreme Allied commander in Europe) and was a recent subject of controversy. Austrian-American Friedrich St. Florian's design drew criticism in part for its grand style, featuring 56 17-foot-tall granite pillars. Some called it vainglorious and pompous. less

We'll mention one memorial that's not to a person -- the World War II Memorial -- because it ties into Eisenhower's life (he was supreme Allied commander in Europe) and was a recent subject of controversy. ... more

But the original design for the Washington National Monument, by American architect Robert Mills, was a bit fussier.

But the original design for the Washington National Monument, by American architect Robert Mills, was a bit fussier.

Photo: Three Lions, Getty Images

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The Washington Monument had its own troubles. Construction stalled at 156 feet in 1854, after a new group aligned with the controversial Know-Nothing Party gained control of the Washington National Monument Society, driving away donors. Then, the Civil War broke out.

Congress took over funding and construction of the monument in 1876. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers chief Lt. Col. Thomas Lincoln Casey cut the height from a planned 600 feet to 555 (10 times the width of the base) and scrapped plans for ornate adornments on the obelisk and the ring of columns around the base. less

The Washington Monument had its own troubles. Construction stalled at 156 feet in 1854, after a new group aligned with the controversial Know-Nothing Party gained control of the Washington National Monument ... more

Photo: National Archives, Getty Images

The Washington Monument had its own troubles. Construction stalled... Photo-4345416.58664 - StamfordAdvocate

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A commission to plan a monument to Abraham Lincoln was first proposed in 1867, shortly after his assassination. The first design called for a ring of 37 colossal statues of people and horses around a 12-foot statue of Lincoln. But lack of funds kept that project from getting started. Congress finally approved funding for the Lincoln Memorial we know in 1910, and construction started four years later. less

A commission to plan a monument to Abraham Lincoln was first proposed in 1867, shortly after his assassination. The first design called for a ring of 37 colossal statues of people and horses around a 12-foot ... more

A commission to plan a monument to Abraham Lincoln was first... Photo-4345417.58664 - StamfordAdvocate

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Architect Henry Bacon modeled the memorial after ancient Greek temples, calling for it to be 190 feet long, 119 feet wide and almost 100 feet high, surrounded by 36 fluted Doric columns, one for each of the thirty six states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. Similarly to the later National World War II memorial, some objected that the building was too ostentatious for a man of Lincoln's humble character, and proposed a simple log cabin shrine. The location also drew criticism, for being too swampy or inaccessible. This photo is from the memorial's dedication, in 1922. less

Architect Henry Bacon modeled the memorial after ancient Greek temples, calling for it to be 190 feet long, 119 feet wide and almost 100 feet high, surrounded by 36 fluted Doric columns, one for each of the ... more

The north and south chambers contain carved inscriptions of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and Gettysburg Address. In the center sits a 19-foot-high, 175-ton statue of Lincoln.

The north and south chambers contain carved inscriptions of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and Gettysburg Address. In the center sits a 19-foot-high, 175-ton statue of Lincoln.

The north and south chambers contain carved inscriptions of... Photo-4345420.58664 - StamfordAdvocate

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The original plan called for a 10-foot Lincoln, but memorial commission members feared that would be dwarfed by the grand chamber.

The original plan called for a 10-foot Lincoln, but memorial commission members feared that would be dwarfed by the grand chamber.

Photo: National Archives, Getty Images

The original plan called for a 10-foot Lincoln, but memorial... Photo-4345421.58664 - StamfordAdvocate

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The one non-president featured here is Martin Luther King, Jr., whose memorial was dedicated on Aug. 28, 2011, the 48th anniversary of the groundbreaking March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. But before the dedication, the United States Commission of Fine Arts said of 28-foot-tall granite monument: The colossal scale and Social Realist style of the proposed sculpture recalls a genre of political sculpture that has recently been pulled down in other countries. The commission brought controversy on itself by saying the statue made King look confrontational (well, yes). less

The one non-president featured here is Martin Luther King, Jr., whose memorial was dedicated on Aug. 28, 2011, the 48th anniversary of the groundbreaking March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. But before the ... more

Photo: Mario Tama, Getty Images

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But the controversy that stuck was the decision to include this quotation: I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness. What King actually said, two months before his assassination, was: Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.

Poet and author Maya Angelou objected that the paraphrase makes Dr. Martin Luther King look like an arrogant twit. The Interior Department initially announced that the quotation would be corrected, but then decided to have it removed altogether to protect the structural integrity of the statue. less

But the controversy that stuck was the decision to include this quotation: I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness. What King actually said, two months before his assassination, was: Yes, if you ... more

Photo: MANDEL NGAN, AFP/Getty Images

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Congress approved construction of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial on the south bank of Washington's Tidal Basin in June 1934. Architect John Russell Pope used Thomas Jefferson's own architectural tastes to design the Jefferson Memorial, which is modeled after Rome's Pantheon.

The location drew criticism because it displaced Japanese flowering cherry trees. The Commission of Fine Arts objected that the Pantheon design would compete with the Lincoln Memorial. President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his permission to proceed and laid the cornerstone in 1939. less

Congress approved construction of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial on the south bank of Washington's Tidal Basin in June 1934. Architect John Russell Pope used Thomas Jefferson's own architectural tastes to design ... more

Roosevelt was still president in 1943, when the memorial was dedicated. Similarly to the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson memorial contains a 19-foot-tall statue of its subject. But Jefferson is standing, and bronze.

John Adams, Jefferson's rival and the second president of the United States, doesn't have a memorial in Washington, D.C., but there is a movement to create one. less

Roosevelt was still president in 1943, when the memorial was dedicated. Similarly to the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson memorial contains a 19-foot-tall statue of its subject. But Jefferson is standing, and ... more

Photo: PhotoQuest, Getty Images

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Speaking of Franklin D. Roosevelt, In 1941, he reportedly told friend Frankfurter, Supreme Court justice: If any memorial is erected to me, I know exactly what I should like it to be. I should like it to consist of a block about the size of this (desk) and placed in the center of that green plot in front of the Archives building. I don’t care what it is made of, whether limestone, or granite or whatnot, but I want it plain without ornamentation, with the simple carving, 'In Memory Of.' A small group of living associates of the President did just that on April 12, 1965, the 20th of his death. less

Speaking of Franklin D. Roosevelt, In 1941, he reportedly told friend Frankfurter, Supreme Court justice: If any memorial is erected to me, I know exactly what I should like it to be. I should like it to ... more

But, in 1997, President Bill Clinton dedicated a much larger, grander memorial to the only president elected to four terms. In addition to the question of it being contrary to Roosevelt's wishes, there was some dissent about the decision to depict Roosevelt sitting in a chair, obscuring his paralysis from polio. Roosevelt hid his disability during his lifetime. Coincidentally, Clinton was on crutches, recovering from leg injury sustained, during the dedication. less

But, in 1997, President Bill Clinton dedicated a much larger, grander memorial to the only president elected to four terms. In addition to the question of it being contrary to Roosevelt's wishes, there was some ... more

Photo: Diana Walker, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

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In 2001, the National Park Service added a statue of Roosevelt in a wheelchair near the entrance of the memorial.

In 2001, the National Park Service added a statue of Roosevelt in a wheelchair near the entrance of the memorial.

Photo: Scott J. Ferrell, Congressional Quarterly/Getty Im

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The James Madison Memorial Building is the nation's official memorial to our fourth president and the third major building of the Library of Congress. It opened in 1980. Madison was the first sponsor of the idea of a library for Congress, proposing it in 1783, as a member of the Continental Congress. The outside walls of the building bear 10 quotations from the Madison's writings. less

The James Madison Memorial Building is the nation's official memorial to our fourth president and the third major building of the Library of Congress. It opened in 1980. Madison was the first sponsor of the ... more

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Inside the James Madison Memorial Building, there's a statue of the fourth president.

Inside the James Madison Memorial Building, there's a statue of the fourth president.

The James Buchanan Memorial is notable for being 82 feet long, centered by a 9-foot-tall statue of the 15th president, shown seated. Statues representing Law and Diplomacy flank the memorial. Buchanan was the only bachelor president. The statue, sculptured by Hans Schuler, was a gift from Buchanan's niece, Harriet Lane Johnston, and dedicated in 1930. less

The James Buchanan Memorial is notable for being 82 feet long, centered by a 9-foot-tall statue of the 15th president, shown seated. Statues representing Law and Diplomacy flank the memorial. Buchanan was the ... more

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The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial was dedicated in 1922 on the west front of the Capitol Building. It depicts Grant during his days leading the Union Army, which is just as well, given that Grant was a much better general than president. less

The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial was dedicated in 1922 on the west front of the Capitol Building. It depicts Grant during his days leading the Union Army, which is just as well, given that Grant was a much better ... more

Photo: Tom Williams, Roll Call/Getty Images

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An embittered attorney who had sought a consular post shot President James A. Garfield on July 2, 1881, less than four months after his inauguration. He died on Sept. 19. Nonetheless, he has a memorial statue on the grounds of the Capitol. less

An embittered attorney who had sought a consular post shot President James A. Garfield on July 2, 1881, less than four months after his inauguration. He died on Sept. 19. Nonetheless, he has a memorial statue ... more

Photo: Hulton Archive, Getty Images

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After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, most expected him to be buried in the family plot in Holyhood Cemetery, near Brookline, Mass. But Jacqueline Kennedy, the president's widow, declared: He belongs to the people. So he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Jacqueline Kennedy had the funeral modeled on Abraham Lincoln's and asked for an eternal flame similar to that of the French Unknown Soldier in Paris. The initial plot was 20 feet by 30 feet and was surrounded by a white picket fence. On Dec. 4, 1963, the two deceased Kennedy children -- Patrick Bouvier Kennedy and an unnamed stillborn daughter -- were reburied in Arlington.

This photo shows Robert F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy and Eunice Kennedy with their children at Kennedy's grave on May 19, 1964, Kennedy's first birthday after his assassination. less

After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, most expected him to be buried in the family plot in Holyhood Cemetery, near Brookline, Mass. But Jacqueline Kennedy, the president's ... more

Photo: Lee Lockwood, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on Nov.... Photo-4345435.58664 - StamfordAdvocate

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Because of the large crowds of visitors to Kennedy's grave, cemetery officials and members of the Kennedy family decided to build a more suitable site -- 3.2 acres on a hillside that wasn't suitable as a general burial location. The new grave was completed on July 20, 1967. The grave area is paved with irregular stones of Cape Cod granite, which were quarried around 1817 near the site of the president's home and selected by members of his family. Clover, and later, sedum were planted in the crevices to give the appearance of stones lying naturally in a Massachusetts field. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was buried next to President Kennedy On May 23, 1994. less

Because of the large crowds of visitors to Kennedy's grave, cemetery officials and members of the Kennedy family decided to build a more suitable site -- 3.2 acres on a hillside that wasn't suitable as a ... more

Photo: Consolidated News Pictures, Getty Images

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The Lyndon Bains Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac is part of Lady Bird Johnson Park, an island in the river. The grove is a living memorial to the 36th president, featuring 500 white pine trees and inscriptions on Texas granite. It was dedicated in 1974. less

The Lyndon Bains Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac is part of Lady Bird Johnson Park, an island in the river. The grove is a living memorial to the 36th president, featuring 500 white pine trees and ... more

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While two presidents -- Kennedy and Taft -- are buried in Arlington National Cemetery, just one is interred in Washington, D.C. itself. That's Woodrow Wilson whose tomb is in the National Cathedral.

While two presidents -- Kennedy and Taft -- are buried in Arlington National Cemetery, just one is interred in Washington, D.C. itself. That's Woodrow Wilson whose tomb is in the National Cathedral.

Photo: Myron Davis, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

While two presidents -- Kennedy and Taft -- are buried in Arlington... Photo-4345438.58664 - StamfordAdvocate